Is Your Boss Demanding Data Your CRM Can’t Deliver?

CRM is often regarded as the single source of truth – the centralized data repository where all teams can access the reliable and accurate information they need to make key decisions.

If only this was actually the case for all businesses.

Whether they’re locked in with a vendor or unable to convince the CFO to greenlight an upgrade, many businesses are being consistently let down by their CRM.

This can be frustrating in a multitude of scenarios, but it’s a major headache when your boss asks for the forecasts and reports your CRM simply can’t provide.

Instead of a guiding light, this can make CRM a liability for businesses and put extra pressure on teams to try and meet these expectations.

5 ways your CRM is failing to deliver

If you’re having a hard time generating the insights leadership are asking for from your CRM, here are some of the most common causes:

1. Fragmented data

Data-driven decision making is the name of the game these days, but if your data’s not up to scratch, it will only create uncertainty.

Poor quality CRM solutions won’t integrate with your other tools, which can result in duplicate records, poor validation and outdated or incomplete information.

All of this will render your data inaccurate and stop you from being able to generate reliable reports and forecasts for the boss.

2. A clunky user interface

Poor and complex navigation layouts are the breeding ground of frustration and human error.

If users can’t find the critical information leadership are asking for, they’ll skip over key details and fail to provide the comprehensive picture of performance that management are expecting.

These clunky interfaces can also lead to data entry mistakes, further fragmenting the data.

3. Poor analytics capabilities

In an ideal world, you’d be able to access the insights and dashboards you need with the click of a button through your CRM.

However, outdated and buggy solutions will struggle to produce reports or lack the functionality needed to give you the reporting leadership is asking for.

What’s more, the customization options that can deliver these specialized reports may be locked behind a paywall.

4. Scalability

Some of the biggest CRM providers cap the functionality of your software – a prime example of what we call CRM bullsh*t.

As your business grows and the demand for visibility and projections increases, you could find your CRM provider expects you to pay extra to produce the reporting and analytics you need.

Even if your functionality isn’t capped, an outdated or unsuitable solution could struggle to process the increasing volumes of data you’ll need as a growing business.

5. Lack of flexibility

If your business is growing and changing, it makes sense that the metrics and analytics you want to measure will grow and change too.

However, there are plenty of inflexible CRM solutions with rigid reporting templates, poor customization options and paywalls blocking further functionality.

Getting the insights you need will require investment, whether that’s for maintenance, add-ons or a new solution altogether.

How these challenges put teams under pressure

Your CRM could be holding you back for any of the reasons outlined above, but it’s unlikely that a boss demanding reports will accept this as an answer.

What this means is that teams have to find manual workarounds to try to meet these expectations. This can have a variety of consequences:

Reduced productivity

CRM is meant to streamline processes, not create barriers, but this is what will happen with the wrong tool. Employees struggling to produce reports will likely turn to time-consuming manual processes that will take them away from other important tasks and reduce their productivity.

Increased workload

Just because they’re having to find ways to work around the weaknesses of their CRM doesn’t mean the rest of their work will be put on hold. While the manual processes necessary to compensate for poor CRM might be a workaround, in the long term they’ll add to their workload and stress levels.

Inaccurate reporting

Even without relying on CRM, incomplete and fragmented data that isn’t centralized can lead to unreliable and inaccurate reporting.

Low morale

If employees are being asked to use a frustrating and unreliable CRM tool, they’ll feel undervalued and may even lose trust in leadership.

Resistance to change

The wrong CRM can stop employees from ever believing in the benefits of this technology. If they’ve been reliant on a poor solution, winning them around to an upgrade will be extremely difficult.

The right CRM can get you back on track

We’ve spoken to a lot of business leaders over the years, and we’re consistently amazed at how many issues arise from having the wrong CRM.

The right CRM should work for your business, not against it. The focus should be on user-friendliness, not complexity, and your solution should scale easily with your business’ growth.

With Workbooks, this can become a reality:

• Replace stress and inefficiency with clarity and control.
• Give leadership easy access to the information they need at the click of a button.
• Transform management’s reporting requests from a source of stress into an opportunity to impress with the insights they need.

If you’re struggling with reporting demands your CRM can’t handle, we can help you get the bull off your back.

Our CRM is designed with users in mind. With a range of customization options and hands-on support during implementation, we’ll set up a solution that aligns with your specific needs and goals. What’s more, as your business evolves, the system can be easily adjusted to meet changing requirements.

If you’d like to learn more about how the right CRM can support your business, our commitment-free Shared Success Workshops are the ideal place to begin.